Coal in your stocking; worst gift

[Macfrommichigan]

Folks,

We probably all lusted after a Red Ryder BB gun or its equivalent and ended up with new underwear at least once, right?

It has been my misfortune to receive so many "what were they thinking?" gifts over the years.

The one that will always be remembered, however, was a door mat. Ugh.

How 'bout you? Any good or funny stories?

 

[ackvil]

I was given some beautiful stationery. Unfortunately, the person who gave me the gift spelled my last name incorrectly.

 

[ZJ68]

Literally everything I have ever received at one of those office Christmas party gift swaps.

 

[Raissermesser]

There are so many, I don't know where to start. I have practiced regifting.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

I was given some beautiful stationery. Unfortunately, the person who gave me the gift spelled my last name incorrectly.

Oy!

 

[emwolf]

Every year my brother gets me caramels filled with marshmallows.

 

[H4nk]

I had THAT aunt. The one that went yard-saling all summer to get just that right Christmas gift. One year, she gave my sister a purse that had obviously been used quite a bit. I found a roach clip in it. Than I found the secret stash compartment. Bingo!

 

[emwolf]

I had THAT aunt. The one that went yard-saling all summer to get just that right Christmas gift. One year, she gave my sister a purse that had obviously been used quite a bit. I found a roach clip in it. Than I found the secret stash compartment. Bingo!

so it WASN'T a bad gift?

 

[Canadian Mountain Man]

I had THAT aunt. The one that went yard-saling all summer to get just that right Christmas gift. One year, she gave my sister a purse that had obviously been used quite a bit. I found a roach clip in it. Than I found the secret stash compartment. Bingo!

I have a similar aunt (not a real aunt, just a long time family friend) who does similar things but her hunting ground is Winners (similar to TJ Maxx, sells a lot of inventory liquidated from other retailers). One year it was a set of 3 coasters.

That said worst gift would have to have been a hack saw when I was 12. Don't get me wrong I like tools, even as a kid but the set-up and anticipation compared to the reality when opening it was underwhelming. As a kid most gifts under the tree weren't to be molested prior to Christmas Eve (our traditional opening) but we could pick something small and play the guessing game. I was into model trains at the time so didn't bother with any package that looked like it contained a car but there was one box that would have measured ~ 9" x 4" x 1", had a bit of heft so I knew it wasn't socks and had an interesting rattle when shook.

Went back and forth with Mom & Dad. Does it take batteries: no, can it be used with my trains: potentially, etc. One of their hints was that it was "blue & extendable". What the heck is blue & extendable??? Drove me nuts for about a week and on opening was kind of a let down:

Mine was a stanley but close enough to the pic.

 

[TexLaw]

After I got one heck of a talking to from telling my grandmother that I didn't want clothes for Christmas, I learned not to get too nasty about gifts.

That said, I received more than one "starter [something] collection sets" where the "something" was something I has never expressed any interest in (and had no interest). You get some cheap-o folder or box with a bunch of spaces for stuff and one or two cruddy examples of the "something." Then, it's your job to fill up the rest of the spaces. I know full well that the one giving the gift probably was just a victim of marketing ("young boys LOVE this!"), so I couldn't feel upset about it. However, the really tough part would come when asked "how is your collection coming?"

And, then, there are all those clothes that were received from someone who was shopping for their image of who I should be rather than who I was. We've all been there. Oy.

But, hey, it be could a lot worse.

 

[Raissermesser]

I have a similar aunt (not a real aunt, just a long time family friend) who does similar things but her hunting ground is Winners (similar to TJ Maxx, sells a lot of inventory liquidated from other retailers). One year it was a set of 3 coasters.

That said worst gift would have to have been a hack saw when I was 12. Don't get me wrong I like tools, even as a kid but the set-up and anticipation compared to the reality when opening it was underwhelming. As a kid most gifts under the tree weren't to be molested prior to Christmas Eve (our traditional opening) but we could pick something small and play the guessing game. I was into model trains at the time so didn't bother with any package that looked like it contained a car but there was one box that would have measured ~ 9" x 4" x 1", had a bit of heft so I knew it wasn't socks and had an interesting rattle when shook.

Went back and forth with Mom & Dad. Does it take batteries: no, can it be used with my trains: potentially, etc. One of their hints was that it was "blue & extendable". What the heck is blue & extendable??? Drove me nuts for about a week and on opening was kind of a let down:
View attachment 933021
Mine was a stanley but close enough to the pic.

About age eight, I got a little blue level for my birthday - and I loved it. Also had some small metal tools. By the time I was 12, my parents probably wouldn't have trusted me with a hacksaw ...

 

[TreadwayJohnA]

I was around 11, hadn’t been noticeably good or bad that year. First present I opened... two sticks of deodorant. Best present that year was a New England Firearms “Pardner” model .410

 

[emwolf]

One of my favorite lines was from the play Luv. "When I was 4 my parents bought a box of donuts. Every Christmas until I was 16 I got a donut"

 

[John Rose]

Not for any special occasion, but my sister gave me a souvenir guitar pick that had a transparent provincial flag in it. It was 2 mm thick, way thicker than any pick I'd actually try to use. I smiled, and said, "Oh, ... thank you", and put it in my pocket. I thought maybe I could use it for playing bass.
As it turned out, it's a really good pick for guitar or bass. The way the edge was beveled made it behave similar to a more flexible pick, but it still had backbone, I guess you'd call it. I went so far as to buy a few spares when I came across some in a store.
The next year, she gave me a pick from Nashville, but it was a somewhat lighter than I'm used to. It was a great pick too.

She knows nothing about playing guitar, but she's 2 for 2 in selecting picks.

 

[Rhody]

I was new at a professional job. $20 secret santa. I got one of the owner/ partner. He was into making home brew. At the time that wasnt so common. I drove 20 minutes to a supply house. Spent $60. This same boss had me in the secret santa! What odds
He opened his and was all smiles handed me a small box and told me his wife (who i never met in 5 years working there)) picked it out. Surprise! A decorative rock paper weight.
Back then we couldn't leave until all the big Whigs left! That night on the way out the ramp i sky hooked that rock into the dumpster

 

[Raissermesser]

I was new at a professional job. $20 secret santa. I got one of the owner/ partner. He was into making home brew. At the time that wasnt so common. I drove 20 minutes to a supply house. Spent $60. This same boss had me in the secret santa! What odds
He opened his and was all smiles handed me a small box and told me his wife (who i never met in 5 years working there)) picked it out. Surprise! A decorative rock paper weight.
Back then we couldn't leave until all the big Whigs left! That night on the way out the ramp i sky hooked that rock into the dumpster

That sounds like a gift my father got at church, which he crammed into a waste basket. And I do mean crammed. That thing was wedged in it, box and all.

 

[Toothpick]

I got a sex toy once. From friends I had just met the previous year. That was really weird. We’ve been friends 16 years now so it worked out.

About 10 years ago I went to a Christmas party that my boss had at his house for us all. Only about 7 of us there so we did the white elephant gift exchange. I ended up picking a gift bag this chick (co-worker) brought. Low and behold it was full of...adult necessities for your private life. Why bring that to your bosses Christmas party?! And what is with me getting these type of gifts from people I barely know!?

 

[emwolf]

I got a sex toy once. From friends I had just met the previous year. That was really weird. We’ve been friends 16 years now so it worked out.

About 10 years ago I went to a Christmas party that my boss had at his house for us all. Only about 7 of us there so we did the white elephant gift exchange. I ended up picking a gift bag this chick (co-worker) brought. Low and behold it was full of...adult necessities for your private life. Why bring that to your bosses Christmas party?! And what is with me getting these type of gifts from people I barely know!?

I enjoy the white elephant ones and those can sometimes get a bit risque. My brother moved into a house and found a bunch of canvases left behind by the former owner. One was a nude reclining male. This was framed and passed around the family before finally becoming part of an office white elephant exchange.

 

[Ad Astra]

The Lobster Light.

It took a few years, but we finally regifted that ugly thing.


AA

 

[Rhody]

I got a sex toy once. From friends I had just met the previous year. That was really weird. We’ve been friends 16 years now so it worked out.

About 10 years ago I went to a Christmas party that my boss had at his house for us all. Only about 7 of us there so we did the white elephant gift exchange. I ended up picking a gift bag this chick (co-worker) brought. Low and behold it was full of...adult necessities for your private life. Why bring that to your bosses Christmas party?! And what is with me getting these type of gifts from people I barely know!?

Sounds like you were at a swingers party and didnt know it